Story courtesy of Rob Palardy, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Eastern Massachusetts High School Soccer Coaches Association has selected Lesley University head men’s and women’s soccer coach Paul Vasconcelos as their College Coach of the Year and will be honored at the EMASS High School All-Star Banquet on January 31 in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Vasconcelos’ Lynx soccer teams combined to go 30-10-3 and both squads reached the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship and earned Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) bids for additional post-season play. For his efforts, he was named NECC Coach of the Year on both the men’s and women’s sides.

“I am certainly very honored to be recognized by the eastern Massachusetts soccer coaches,” said Vasconcelos, who is also the Director of Coaching at Eastern Mass FC living in Sharon with his wife and two children. “I am a big fan of high school soccer and have very fond memories of playing in the MIAA tournament as a kid.”

The Lesley men’s soccer team, started and developed by Vasconcelos since the 2006 season, had their first ever winning season by going 15-5-2, following a 6-13-1 record the previous year. The Lynx reached the NECC Championship Match for the second consecutive season while setting program bests in several offensive and defensive categories including team goals, assists, points, goals against and shutouts.

The women’s team experience their third straight season with at least 10 wins, finishing 2009 with a 15-5-1 mark. The Lynx won their first ever NECC Championship behind a high-scoring offense, stingy backfield, and strong goalie-play. Vasconcelos took over the coaching responsibilities for the women’s team in 2007 and since then the Lynx have gone 45-12-4 with a 21-4-1 record in conference.

With both teams on the winning track and top high school recruits selecting Lesley as their collegiate destination, the Lynx will undoubtedly continue to experience success with Vasconcelos at the helm.